Concentrator



Oct. 19 1926. 1,603,695

A. D. HINTON CONCENTRATOR F ed August 6, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4.22.MMQL.

Oct. 19,1926, I 1,603,695

A. D. HINTON CONCENTRATOR Filed August 6, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V ,1}! l/4 l Patented Oct. 19, 1926 tli li fifi STATS trusses PTENT OFFICE.

ADOLPHUS D. I-IINTON, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

CONCENTRATOR.

The present invention relates to improvements in concentrators, and hasparticular reference to a multistage concentrator for placer gravel orthe like which is very effective in raising the percentage ofconcentrates gained from a certain quantity of placer gravel. A furtherobject of the 111- vention is to provide a multi-stage concentrator ofthe character described with particularly effective means for agitatingthe placer gravel or other material passing over the sluice boxes of theconcentrator. A further object of the invention is to provide sluiceboxes with depressions or riftles particularly adapted to allow theheavier portions of the placer gravel to be trapped in pockets, whilethe waste material is allowed to pass these pockets. A further ob ect ofthe invention is to provide a concentrator that will handle a greatamount of placer gravel with the minimum amount of water, said waterbeing recovered and used over again if found necessary. Other objectsand advantages of my device will appear as a specification proceeds.

The preferred form of my invent1on is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 shows a side view of my device; Figure 2 anend view of the same; Figure 3 a plan view with certain port1onsremoved; Figure 4t a horizontal section taken substantially along lined-1 of Figure 1; Figure 5 a partial horizontal section taken substantiallyalong line 5-5 of Figure 1; Figure 6 an enlarged detail view in plan ofthe end of one of the sluice boxes; Figure 7 an enlarged detail in planof another part of the sluice box; and Figures 8 and 9 side views of theparts shown 1n Figures 6 and 7 respectively. \Vhile I have shown onlythe preferred form of the invention it should be understood that variouschanges or modifications may be made within the scope of the claimshereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The frame (1) comprises a plurality of upright members (2) arranged intwo or more parallel rows so as to form a rectangle and joined by meansof a girder engaging the upper parts of the uprights, while the lowerparts are held in their relative positions by their engagement with thebase l), and by means of horizontal members (6). The frame may bestrengthened by means of proper braces (7).

In the frame is supported a cage (8) which holds a plurality of sluiceboxes of which six are shown in the drawings. The cage comprises twoframes (9) and (11) disposed in spaced relation to one another. Eachframe consists of three uprights (12) and a plurality oft-ransversemembers (13) secured to the vertical members. On the two uppermosttransverse members (13) rests the sluice box (14) slanting downwardly ina forward direction. The second sluice box (16) slants downwardly in theopposite direction, and its upper end rests" on the second transversemember of one of the two frames, while its front end is adjust ablysupported by means of rods (17) from the uppermost transverse member(13) at the other end, so that the rear end may be lifted or lowered byturning the two nuts (18) at the top end of the rods (17). In a similarmanner is the upper end of the sluice box (19) supported on thelowermost transverse member (13) at the rear end of the cage, while thefront end of this third sluice box is supported from the secondtransverse member (13) by means of rods (21) and two nuts (22). It willthus be seen that the lower end of the two lower sluice boxes can beadjusted to any angle or grade that may be considered desirable for theproper concentration of values as ma terial becomes liner andwater-supply remains practically the same as in sluice (1 1). It shouldbe understood that I preferably provide the sluice boxes in pairs as isshown in Figure 2 so that each machine would have two sets of sluiceboxes or more which may work simultaneously or separately.

The two frames (9) and (11) forming the cage are supported from thegirder (3) by means of rods (23) secured to the girder by hooks (24:)and engaging perforations (26) in plates (27) secured to the uprightmembers (12) of the cage. The rods have turn buckles (28) embodiedtherein which allow them to be adjusted as to length whereby the cagemay be brought to a proper level, (which is absolutely necessary for theconcentration of submerged placer gravel), even if the ground on whichthe main frame stands should be slightly uneven.

One of the principal advantages of my IOU concentrator is the means forrocking the cage which contains the sluice boxes. Rocking motion isimparted by means of rotary wheels (29) mounted on the shaft (31)adapted to be actuated from any suitable means by means of a pulley orsprocket (32). These wheels are operatively connected to the uprights(12) of the cage by means ofconnecting rods (33) pivotallv engaging pins(34) projecting from the faces of the wheels, and also engaging by meansof bolts (36) plates (37 projecting from the said upright members. Toenable the operator to control the intensity of the rocking or swingingmotion, I provide a plurality of holes (38) at unequal distances fromthe center (39) of the wheel (29) allowing the length of the stroke tobe increased or decreased by changing the pin 3 L) from one hole toanother."

Particular attention is called to the following facts: It will be notedthat if a cage suspended in the manner described hereinabove and shownin the'drawings; particulgirly in F-igure 2, is swung laterally, theswinging motion will be accompanied by a tilting motion. Viewing forinstance the machine as shown in Figure 2, When the cage is thrown tothe left, the left hand side of the same will also move downwardly dueto the fact that the rods (23) are thrown into a position approaching avertical line, while the right hand side of the cage will be raised dueto the fact that the angle of the rod (23) to a horizontal line isvdecreased. And vice versa, when the cageis swung to the right, its righthand side will drop whileits, left hand side willbe raised. This tiltingmotion is particularly adapted to work in Conjunction with the specialkind of ritlle board providcdfin my device and described hereinafter. Itwillbe noted that the plates (27) receiving the lower ends of the rods(23) are provided with several perforations (26) allowing the pointy ofengagement to be changed. This offers the following advantage: )Vhere aseries ol t sluice boxes disposed one above the other are used, it isvery desirable at times that the uppermost sluice box handling therougher and heavier material be rocked back and forth more violentlythan the lower sluice boxes. It will be seen that my plates (27) allowthe, rela tive rocking motion of the upper sluice and the lower sluiceto be regulated. If the holes (26) were provided in the'exact center ofthe cage. the uppermost and lowermost sluices, would rock with the sameintensity. But it will be seen at a glance that as'tl 'e points ofengagementare; lowered, the rocking motion of the top-member will beiii; creased and ,otthebottom member decreased. Since apluralityot'holes (2 6) are provided for each engagement, therelativeintensity of locking motion of the top and bottom members can,therefore, be adjusted to suil conditions.

It will be noticed particularly from Figure 4 that on the side of themain frame are supported bearings (41) in which the shaft (31.)previously mentioned is journaled, and which also serves as a supportfor a spring (42), the tension of which may be adjusted by means of setscrews 43) and the extreme ends of which are adapted to engageprojections (44) extending from the plates (37) on the cage. Thefunction of this spring is to offer yielding resistance to theswinging-cage at the end of each stroke, and to impart motion to thecage at the beginning of the next stroke by means oi. its tension. Thisspring serves to relieve the wheel (29) from the strain of changing thedirection 01" the cage at the end of each stroke, and at the same timedelivers the energy received atthe end of one stroke to cage at thebeginning of the next stroke with very little loss of power. t alsoserves to tap the cage whereby the settling of the valuesin the sluiceboxes is facilitated. This sprin is not in contact with the cage whilethe machine is at rest.

Referring to the Sluice boxes, it may be first stated that in theirgeneral features they decrease in depth and increase in width from topto bottom so that the top sluice (let).is comparatively deep and narrowcausthe water to rush through the same, while the bottomsluice (19) iscomparative ly shallow and wide allowing the water to move more calmly.The construction of the top slui e box appears from Figure 3 from whichit will be seen that the sluice box comprises a bottom member (4-6)surrounded by walls and provided with depressions (48) adapted'to serveas traps for the heavier. particles of precious metal contained in theplacer gravel these depressions are made triangularwith the longestsides (49) disposed transversely to the direction of the flow'oi waterbut forming a slight angle with a line drawn at right angles to thesluice box, with the angles. alternating in direction. The apex of eachtriangle points in the direction of the flow and the depression gains indepth toward the apex. The apices of the various triangles are notdisposed on the central line butalternate, one being slightly to theleft and the other slightly to the right. Each triangle, therefore, hasa long side, (51) and a short side (52), and the long side is preferablyreinforced by a strip preventing the water and the placer gravel; frompassing over the same andforcing it to pass the short side of eachtriangle 'so th'at it'assumes a zig-Zag motion wit he. dimens onspreferab y ele e n a ha manner. tha he e z s mo on the gravel watercaused by the arrangement or the depressions or nines coincides IRS llii

with the natural zig-zag motion imparted to the material by the rockingmotion of the cage. At the apex of each triangle is provided a hole (54)allowing the precious metal deposited to drop through the bottom of thesluice box onto the next sluice box. These holes are normally closed bymeans of hinged gates (56) illustrated in Figures 7 and 9. The gates areprovided at the bottom of the sluice and are secured to trans verse pins(57) pivotally supported in the hinged member (58) and adapted to beactuated by means of an arm (59) extending upwardly from the pin (57)and terminating in a transverse member (61) extending over the top ofthe sluice box. A fork (62) at the end of the transverse member (61) isadapted to engage the longitudinal rod (63) between two collars (64),which construc- V tion allows the gate to be opened and closed by aforward or rearward motion of the rod (63). Normally the latter rod isforced into a gate closing position by means of springs (66). At its endthe rod (63) is provided with a handle (67 The last depression (68) onthe uppermost sluice box is formed slightly different from the otherdepressions in so far as it presents two slanting walls (69) arrangedsymmetrically to the flow of water and material with slats (71) providedbehind each wall so that the material and the water are forced through acomparatively narrow passage whereby the speed is increased in order toassist screening at'end of sluice.

The second sluice box is made substantially the same as the top box,while the third box shown in detail in Figure 5 is preferablyconstructed slightly diiferent. In this box depressions (72) controllingthe whole width of the sluice box alternate with depressions (7 3) ofmuch smaller dimensions, of which latter two are necessary to cover thewidth of the box. This construction, while still forcing the water andthe material into a zig-zag line, allows this line to be less pronouncedthan the line of travel in the upper boxes.

Above the upper end of the top sluice box is provided a hopper (74)terminating in two feeding channels (76), one for each set of sluiceboxes. The openings of thetwo channels (76) are controlled by means ofsliding gates (77). Above the frame is also mounted a large water tank(78) provided with an outlet pipe (79) extending into close proximity ofthe hopper and dividing into two arms (81), so as to deliver the waterat the upper ends of both top sluice boxes in operative proximity to thedischarge openings of the hopper. The flow of water may be controlled bymeans of suitable valves (82) in the main pipe (79) and (83) in the sidearms of the same. The water is preferably forced against a slanting wall(84) of sheet metal, which allows the water to run off to follow thegeneral direction of the sluice box immediately and preventing theaccumulation or slacking up of gravel at this point.

Between. the upper sluice box and the hopper I preferably provide slats(86) which carry off large rocks without allowing the same to touch therifiles of the sluice box whereby the life of the latter is prolongedconsiderably. The upper sluice box discharges on a metal grizzly (87)pivotally supported near its rear end on the transverse shaft (88), withits front end held by rods (89) suspended in angle irons (91) secured tothe side walls of the box. The operative length of the rods (89) can beadjusted by means of the two nuts (92) so that the grizzly (87) may begiven any fall desired. The larger particles of placer gravel which arewithout value are discharged over this grizzly onto the waste pile inthe rear of the concentrator, while the smaller and heavier particlesdrop through the grizzly on the next sluice box. The latter isconstructed in substantially the same manner as the upper box andterminates in a grizzly (93) which again partly discharges on the wastepile, and partly on the lowermost sluice box. At the end of this sluicebox is provided a screen (94) which allows any valuable material stillpresent to drop therethrough, while the other material is passed overthe extreme edge of the lower sluice box on the waste pile. A chute (96)is provided under the lowest sluice box so that any values separatedfrom the placer gravel during the process are finally collected on thechute and may be removed therefrom by any suitable means not shown inthe drawing.

The operation ofthe concentrator is as follows: The placer gravel isunloaded into the hopper in any suitable manner and drops through thegate on the upper sluice box which at the same time receives water fromthe tank (78). The shaft (31) being rotated by any suitable power,rocking motion is imparted to the whole cage as explained in thedescription. The big rocks are prevented from coming in contact with theupper sluice box by the slats (86) and are delivered directly to thegrizzly (87) together with such finer material as is not caught in thepockets of the depressions (48). The finer material which is allowed topass through the spaces between the slats (86) is washed over the bottomof the upper sluice box in a zig-zag line, leaving the particlescontaining precious metal in the pockets (48) from which it may beoccasionally removed by opening the gates (56). Material not entrappedinthese depressions and not thrown on the waste pile, passes through thegrizzly (87) on the sec- 0nd. box and is subjected there to a similartreatment travelling in the opposite direc tion until such portions ashave not been trapped by the depressions of the second box reach the'end and fall through. the grizzly (93) on the third box, which againsubjects the material to the same process retaining in its pocketsanything that represents any value whatever.

I claim:

'1. In a concentrator, an: oblong upright frame, a cage having aplurality of inclined sluice boxes disposed longitudinally of the trainsand mounted therein one above the other, hangers pivotally connected tothe frame and 'pivotally connected to the cage on opposite sides atpoints inermediate the middle and lower end of the cage for suspendingthe same to rock with the transversemovement progressively decreasing inan'iplitudefrom the top to the bottom of the cage, and means connectedto thecage for imparting transverse rocking motion there-i to. v

2. In aconcentrator, a cage having a plurality 0t sluice boxes mountedtherein one above the other and slanting. alternately in oppositedinect-ions to provide a continuous path for .a material, with the boxessucces sively decreasing in depth and likewise increasing in widthfromthe. topto the botton of the cage, and means for adjusting the angleat which the sluice boxes slant.

3. A sluice box having depressions of triangular form increasing indepth toward the apex of the triangle arranged therein, withtheidepressions disposed so as to cause material p ssing oveg the sameto move in zig-Za; i orin.

4. sluice box having depressions of triangular term increasing in depthtoward the apex of the triangle arranged therein, with the depressionsdisposed so as to cause material passing over the same to move inzig-Zag form, and gates associated with the depressions allowingmaterial gathered in the same to be dropped. through the sluice box.

5. it sluice box having depressions therein for gatheringmateriahfhinged gates associated with the depressions allowing thematerial to be dropped through the sluice hox anda common control forthe gates con'iprising a rod mounted longitudinally with freedom ofsliding motion and an operative connectionbetween the rodand each gateallowing the gate to be opened and closed by moving the 1nd, havingspring means afsociatedtherewith tending tomaintain the gates in aclosed condition.

anotenns n; tnnron.

